Ford deployed a team of researchers to swab down 10 locations in vehicle interiors and found "significant bacterial growth" in areas including the steering wheel and cupholders, the Dearborn automaker said on Friday in a new report.

The area around cupholders was described as "an ideal feeding ground for microbes."

High concentrations of bacterial growth were found on steering wheels as well. Ford said it collected samples from a variety of company and employee-owned vehicles. The samples were analyzed at a University of Michigan laboratory.

"We weren't surprised to find microbial hot spots on the steering wheel, since that is where a driver's hands are most of the time," said Cindy Peters, a Ford technical expert, in a statement. "The console area near the cupholders is a common location for spilled drinks, so it provides an ideal feeding ground for microbes."

Ford is testing coatings that could inhibit or reverse microbial growth in car interiors. The automaker said parts coated with paint infused with a silver-ion additive may inhibit microbe growth in cars.

"Parts with the antimicrobial-treated coating are now undergoing real-world testing in a number of Ford development vehicles and the coating is being evaluated for potential use in future Ford vehicle programs," the automaker said.

LOL that sort of UV lighting will cause eye strain. One of my co-workers stole one of those florescent lamps from work- it's white unlike black light lamps- to put in a reading lamp at his house. He was literally blinded over night. Fortunately for him eye strain wears off, and 3 days later he was ok.

Germs are not totally bad for you. If you're never exposed to germs, when you end up being exposed- you get more sick. Just like people who are raised as children around dogs don't develop allergies to pet dander.

^^haha!
I often have to drive co-workers vehicles back to my work when the semi trucks they drive go to the shop. Ill be bringing along Lysol wipes next time. Guess I never thought about how nasty the steering wheel gets. And being this is the season for illness, I will be attempting to protect myself a bit better.
It's one thing to stew in my own filth, but in others? That's gross.

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